Van Gogh and others in Auvers-sur-Oise, Val-d'Oise (95)

The distance from Pontoise to Auvers-sur-Oise to the east is only about four miles, although it is rich in the history of famous painters, the most famous of whom is Vincent van Gogh.

 'LE PEINTRE

VINCENT VAN GOGH

VÉCUT

DANS CETTE MAISON

ET Y MOURUT

LE 29 JUILLET 1890'

Van Gogh spent his last seventy days here, arriving at the Auberge Ravoux (sometimes now called the 'Maison de Van Gogh') on 20 May 1890 and dying here on 29 July of the same year after shooting himself in the chest.

The above photo was taken in 1890 and shows Adeline Ravoux, the thirteen-year-old daughter of the innkeeper, standing at the entrance to the auberge. In 1954 she still remembered 'Monsieur Vincent' regularly returning to the auberge at midday for the usual simple lunch of the time consisting of meat, vegetables, salad and dessert. She remembered that he never complained about any of the dishes.

Van Gogh's oil painting of Adeline.

The auberge wasn't open when we visited, although it has apparently not changed a great deal since Van Gogh's day. The auberge runs tours of the artist's room, of which the photo above is on display on the main street along with a number of other items. (The artist Anton Hirschig's room there is also preserved.)

Notre-Dame de L'Assomption at Auvers.

And Van Gogh's painting of the church.

The best shot of Docteur Gachet's house that I could get, as that too was closed.

One of Van Gogh's representations of the doctor.

Steps leading up to the house as seen through the bars of a side door.

I know nothing of the history of the painters' names engraved on the steps.

'LA TOMBE DE VAN GOGH

EST SITUÉE LE LONG DU MUR

ENTRE CETTE PORTE

ET CELLE DE DROIT'

Unfortunately we entered the cemetery via the gate on the right, which didn't have such a useful explanatory sign telling us exactly where the grave was located, although it's a small cemetery and not difficult to find.

Outside the cemetery a reporter from Le Parisien eagerly approached me about a biography of Van Gogh to be published the next day: it was the French translation of Steven Naifeh et Gregory White Smith's biography published in (American) English in 2011, which proposes a revised death: the painter was accidentally shot by two youths, one of whom was fond of brandishing a gun and obsessed by the Wild West. The article appears to be anonymous, and that's not us in the photo, but it quotes my views here. I would translate the title – 'La biographie de Van Gogh sème toujours le trouble' – as 'Van Gogh's Biography Is Still Stirring up Trouble'.

Vincent lies with his brother Théo in front of a large bed of ivy.

'ICI REPOSE

VINCENT VAN GOGH

––––––

1853 – 1890'

'ICI REPOSE

THÉODORE VAN GOGH

––––––

1857 – 1891'

I couldn't resist taking a shot of a lizard sunbathing on Van Gogh's gravestone.

Several other painters are buried in this cemetery, such as Eugène Murer (1846–1906), or Hyacinthe-Eugène Meunier.

There's also Léonide Bourges (1838–1909).

And Paul Adolphe Rajon (1843–1888).

And finally Émile Boggio (1857–1920).

Nearer towards the town is this impressive bust of Charles-François Daubigny (1817–78), whose museum is also in Auvers.

Yet another museum is the Musée de l'Absinthe. Van Gogh was a great lover of absinthe, the drink banned in France for many years, and which no doubt contributed to the painter's poor mental health.

This old advert seems to associate absinthe with youth, sex, and (almost) worship.

The back of the museum.

Ossip Zadkine's À Van Gogh.

Oh, and there's a castle, which was open, but we didn't bother to investigate as we had already seen so much in this charming little town.

Jean-Jacques Rousseau in Montmorency, Val-d'Oise (95)

'Jean-Jacques ROUSSEAU

Habitant de Montmorency 1756–1762'

The avenue Émile roundabout, Montmorency. This is the third statue of Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1712–78) here: the first was in bronze and by Louis Carrier-Belleuse in 1907, but was melted down during the war; the second was made in stone by Hélène Gustala, but was destroyed by a traffic accident in 1994; the present statue is a larger-scale reproduction of one made in 1860 by Albert Carrier-Belleuse, Louis's father.

Rousseau had set up household with Thérèse Levasseur, a linen maid who gave birth to five of their children, although they were all sent away as orphans. In April 1756 he escaped the 'ville de fumeé, de bruit et de boue' ('town of smoke, noise and mud') that he believed Paris had become, to live in Montmorency to the north of Paris. Originally they stayed in the 'Hermitage', lent to him by Mme d'Épernay, but moved to 'le petit Mont-Louis' the following year after an argument with his host.

This is now the Musée Jean-Jacques Rousseau, the area on the left of the photo (partly concealed by foliage) being the original part where Rousseau and Levasseur lived.

'Dans cette maison

J. J. ROUSSEAU

a vécu de 1757 – 1762'

 

Just before the entrance to Rousseau's former living quarters is a replica, by Jean Baptiste Stouf, of a bust by Jean-Antoine Houdon.

 

 

A reconstruction of the kitchen.

 

A reconstruction of Thérèse Levasseur's bedroom. Scarcely visible on the dressing table is a candle snuffer, which I learned is called a mouchette in French.

 

And the stairs to the other floor.

 

And a reconstruction of Rousseau's bedroom, although of course not his original bed.

 

The only definite original object in the tiny house is the fireplace, which came from the donjon (see further down).

 

Rousseau worked on his major publications in Montmorency: Julie ou la Nouvelle Heloise, La Lettre à d'Alembert sur les spectacles, Du contrat social, and Émile ou de l'Éducation, of which the last book – Profession de foi du vicaire savoyard – caused a storm with religious bodies, was condemned by the parlement de Paris, and forced him to flee Montmorency for Switzerland in June 1762.

 

The clock here is most appropriate because it was made in 1712 – the year of Rousseau's birth, in Geneva – the place of his birth.

 

The donjon, where Rousseau used to write.

 

In the 'cabernet de verdure' as Rousseau referred to it is this table.

 

The inscription here is by Gabriel Brizard (1744–1793), a tremendous admirer of the philosophes, and among other books he published the complete works of Rousseau. Brizard is full of praise for the great man, and the words refer to this stone as 'the altar of genius'.

'C'EST ICI QU'UN GRAND HOMME A PASSÉ SES BEAUX JOURS.
VINGT CHEF-D'ŒUVRES DIVERS EN ONT MARQUÉ LE COURS.
C'EST ICI QUE SONT NÉS ET SAINT-PRIEUX ET JULIE
ET CETTE SIMPLE PIERRE EST L'AUTEL DU GÉNIE'

27 Mars 1787

G. BRIZARD'

The garden at the back. A great day, and I'm very grateful to our enthusiastic guide, especially for her forbearance when I was translating things for Penny.